


There’s a kind of hush

by nattiecake08



Category: Grantchester (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:07:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24063331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nattiecake08/pseuds/nattiecake08
Summary: A bank holiday spent on the meadows.
Relationships: Leonard Finch/Daniel Marlowe
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	There’s a kind of hush

**Author's Note:**

> A little May Day drabble. 
> 
> Musical mood for this is the instrumental Heather from the Carpenters’ Now & Then album.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUr2KoWPhOk
> 
> Title from the eponymous Carpenter’s song.

It was a glorious May bank holiday afternoon. Daniel was exhausted after photographing a wedding the night before that had run into the early hours, but when Leonard knocked at his door with Dickens in tow, promising to buy him an ice cream if he accompanied them on a lazy stroll, he couldn’t say no to either’s puppy-dog eyes. “God has given us such a beautiful day, it would be ungrateful to waste it,” Leonard coaxed, earning an amused eye-roll from his boyfriend. Daniel grabbed his camera as he kissed him hello, before bending down to stroke Dickens in greeting.

They walked in the shade of the bountiful horse chestnut trees along the riverbank, Dickens stopping to bark good-naturedly at the occasional passing punt of students.

Leonard was updating Daniel on the progress of the story he was writing for Dora’s birthday, ‘The Faerie Queen of the Fens’. 

“When Tabbie and I were little we used to spend countless afternoons like these searching for fairies and elves. We had all the Flower Fairy books. Mum used to write us little notes from the fairies,” Daniel remembered fondly, before catching a drip of his rum and raisin ice cream.

Leonard looked up from his raspberry ripple. “I always liked to imagine that a dandelion seed blowing in the wind or a sparkle in the morning frost was a little friend. Sometimes I wished that I was a changeling and the magical folk would come and rescue me,” he confessed sadly.

“Would I have to fight an Elfen prince for your hand now?” Daniel laughed, in that easy way he always managed to lighten Leonard’s mood.

“No contest,” Leonard grinned, heart soaring at the flush that bloomed on Daniel’s cheeks.

They came to a quiet little spot, hidden behind swathes of cow parsley. Leonard spread out a picnic blanket and settled down to write in his little notebook, while Dickens flopped down and promptly fell into a contented snooze. Daniel pottered around taking photographs of the wildflowers and sunlight dappled stream, as well as his unsuspecting lover lost in thought.

He ambled over armed with a particularly regal stick and a fine tendril of vine. “What’s all this?” Leonard asked with a smile.

Daniel crouched down, tying the vine around Leonard’s temple and handing him the stick. “Finery for my wood nymph. Your staff, majesty,” he beamed.

“You’re ridiculous, Daniel, do you know that?” Leonard said fondly.

“Just smile,” Daniel chuckled, adjusting his camera.

“You don’t want to waste your film on me,” Leonard laughed.

“You’re my muse, Leonard,” Daniel said. It was a light-hearted comment but there was a solemn truth behind it that made Leonard’s breath hitch in his throat. With a blush, he put on his best imperious expression and posed for his adorable boyfriend.

Leonard shut his eyes for a moment, relishing the feel of the sun’s warmth on his cheeks. He watched the progress of the cotton wool clouds across the sky. The early evening quiet was punctuated by the chirping of birds and shrill squeals of excited children carried on the wind.

He glanced down at Daniel, arms folded under his head as he slept. The breeze ruffled his hair, flecked with copper from the sunshine. Leonard watched him sleep peacefully, and not for the first time, sent up a prayer. _How lucky I am that this beautiful man is **mine.**_ He could spend eternity as sentinel if this was the prize to be guarded.

Daniel’s long golden eyelashes fluttered and he squinted one eye open. “See something you like?” he murmured upon finding Leonard gazing down at him.

Leonard glanced around, then bent down to press a soft kiss on his lover’s waiting lips. “Just the man I love very much,” he said.

Daniel reached up to stroke Leonard’s jawline before pulling him down among the long grass into a deeper embrace. As he began to toy keenly with Leonard’s dog collar, there was a breathy giggle in his ear, “Stop Dan, someone might see us!”

Leonard rolled over until they lay pressed together side-by-side on the small blanket. Daniel linked their fingers together in the air above them, marveling at the sense of fullness that spread throughout his body at how well the two of them just _fit._

Their peace was interrupted by Dickens who let out a mournful little whine as he pawed at Leonard’s leg. “Does someone want his supper?” Leonard asked, laughing as Dickens responded with an enthusiastic lick to his cheek. 

He struggled to his feet, offering a hand to Daniel. The trio started back to the vicarage, buoyed by the promise of Mrs. C’s famous roast chicken.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the gorgeous fields of cow parsley on the Cambridge backs which always used to cheer me up. I think Leonard finds a lot of respite in nature. 
> 
> Flower Fairies are by Cicely Mary Barker.


End file.
